Sunday, August 2, 2009

How to tell the difference between ear infection and ear mites in a dog?

I have a 9 month old maltipoo. He has a black discharge in his ears. But it's not like what you'd expect with ear mites (it doesn't look like coffee grounds which I've read is common.) It smells really bad and no matter what I've tried at home I can seem to figure it out. I tried using rubbing alcohol like I do for my other dog but it just won't clear up. My vet is out of town for the month so I can't see him now. So is this ear mites or an infection? Is it something that should be looked at right away or can it wait till the vet is back at then end of the month? Anything else I could try?
Answers:
Ear mites are usually brown and hard to clean out. Sounds like it could be an infection..I would take the dog to another vet then to have it checked out. Not only can it cause damage to th ears, I imagine that it is not very comfortable for the dog!
ear mites are little critters in the ear. An ear infection involves no critters.
An ear infection will be accompanied by puss discharge, foul smelling ear, pain, and discomfort. Mites will cause pain and discomfort, but not a puss discharge. It really sounds like an ear infection. They make some great over the counter remedies for that but I would check with your vet to get something approate for you dog.

Start by cleaning your dogs ears well. Then, after all the black/brown junk is gone, dip a q-tip in some alchol and gently (very gently) rub it inside your dogs outer ear (not deep down inside). Let the alchol flow into the ear (not much). This should help until you see your vet.
Sounds like an infection. Is the inside of your dogs ear raw looking? If so, and if the smell is really bad then it probably is infected. I would try another vet until your regular vet returns, it must be torcher for your dog.
The odor says it all. There is an affection and he needs to see a vet as soon as possible. Please take him to a different vet, the dog can suffer hearing loss if this goes on for a month.

Good Luck and Take Care
Take him to another vet. He needs an antibiotic/anti fungal type of preparation to clear up.
Not Sure if it works the same w/ dogs as it does for cats but w/ cats there ears will smell like yeast. so take a wiff. you can by over the counter drugs and wal-mart to clear earmites up.
It could still be ear mites (they do not all have dry dark discharge), if the ear has a sour smell then it could be yeast and/or bacteria. Trying cleaning the ears out with a half water half vinegar solution and massage it into the ear thoroughly. if this does not help go to another vet in the meantime or you dog could end up with other problems.
That sounds like an infection. I've never had an animal with mites that smelled bad or didn't look like coffee grounds. You might call another vet. Or call your vet's office if he is going to be gone for that long, he probably has someone looking after his practice.
I wouldn't wait a month, that's a bit long, especially since it sounds like you've been trying to clear it up for a while already. Alcohol won't kill either mites or bacteria, however.

It's difficult to tell the difference, and the same medications won't work for each, obviously. Although it's not likely a life-threatening emergency, ear problems can escalate quickly and cause permanent damage.

It shouldn't be a long or expensive visit to the vet to have them check the discharge and give you appropriate meds. If you're on good terms with your vet's office, they may offer a recommendation over the phone and dispense medicines to try until the doc returns.
Ear mites eat away at the lining of the ear cannal and can start a secondary staff infection. which can lead to one nasty ear infection . Mix a squirt of a gentle liquid soap with warm water, then pour some into the ear ,..slowley massage the gung out of the ears and towel dry after the pet shakes the rest out .. call the clinic you use and see if they can sell you a tube of panalog 7.5, generic is animax . that will get your pet through until your vet returns
Probably fungal - nasty smell is the tipoff. Time for the anti-fungal ear ointments and liquids - from the vet. No other choice on those

Your vet will have someone covering his practice. Probably a message on his machine. Go to who ever is covering for him. He won't be back for nearly 2 weeks!

The dog will be miserable and fungal infections can actually turn the hair around the ears yellowy/tan on a white dog.

No comments:

Post a Comment